Medical Center Workers Swap Jobs To See How Others Carry Out Theirs

POMPANO BEACH — There`s an old Indian saying that goes: ``If you want to know what someone is like, walk a mile in their moccasins.``

Getting the chance to wear those moccasins, not for a mile, but for about an hour last week, were 31 employees at North Broward Medical Center participating in a job exchange program at the hospital.

``It gives them the chance to try something a little different,`` said Christine Whalen, a public relations spokesman. ``They can get out and see what other jobs in the hospital are like and how they fit in.``

The job exchange, an annual event for several years, was held this year in conjunction with the hospital`s observance of National Hospital Week. Whenever possible, program participants helped with the actual work of the new job, including limited patient care when allowed.

Some employees apparently had lofty visions of ``life at the top of the ladder`` and opted for one-hour promotions to administrative management. Others wanted first-hand experience a little lower on the ladder.

Annette Moore, a medical transcriptionist in the records department, tried out the pulmonary functions unit after hearing about the testing facility and others for the past three years. The transcripts Moore types on the job include tape-recorded descriptions of patient case histories and operation summaries performed by doctors.

``Now, if a doctor says he did pulmonary testing, I can relate to it,`` Moore said after her job exchange.

Since extensive training is required to run the complicated measuring equipment in the pulmonary unit, Moore was tested rather than testing during her hourlong visit. Jan Vitale, a department veteran of 4 1/2 years, checked Moore`s lung capacity while offering a detailed description of the process.

``It`s nice to show somebody what you`re doing that`s really interested,`` Vitale said while running the tests.

Moore, a former cigarette smoker, listened in rapt attention, and smiled when Vitale said her lungs were normal.

``It`s been 17 years since I stopped -- it was the day my last daughter was born,`` Moore said.

Moore already has a target for next year`s job exchange: the electrocardiogram department, where patients are tested for heart capacity and rhythmic irregularities. But even though she enjoys learning about different hospital functions, Moore said she has no plans to leave her current job in medical records.

Judy Stone, a nurse working in patient education, also didn`t have a permanent job switch in mind when she signed up for a painting stint with the hospital maintenance staff.

Stone showed up about 15 minutes late for her assignment, which was performed under the watchful eye of Ellwood ``Pete`` Piotrowski, a plant engineering technician.

``I`ve been watching him for years, and I told him one of these days I`m going to take the day off and just paint,`` Stone said, walking next to Piotrowski after getting some good-natured kidding from him about being late.

``There`s your door jamb, sweetheart,`` Piotrowski said, pointing to a beige door frame while handing Stone a brush and a can of paint.

Piotrowski, obviously enjoying putting Stone through her paces, said he wouldn`t want to try her job.

``Her job looks easy, but it may be deceiving,`` Piotrowski said with a sly wink.

``This job is hard,`` Stone proclaimed after five minutes of slow, carefully- directed brush strokes. ``My legs are starting to hurt. Don`t you guys use a chair?``